Born in Paris, he started exhibiting in 1865 and became one of the most prolific sculptors of the end of the century. More than 70 monuments in Paris are said to be his works, for exemple, Jeanne d'Arc, at the Panthéon. His genious lies in his ease to work from decorative statuettes to orientalist themes or sculptures meant for public spheres while having a taste for mixing different materials, such as wood, ivory, enamels and bronze, bronzes which are mostly cast by famous foundries, such as Barbedienne, Siot-Decauville, Susse and Durenne. He was awarded with many distinctions.